New Arrivals

Sampled 21 July 2021. Stuart McCloskey “The ’19 Cabernet Sauvignon shone from the get-go and resampling is merely a gratifying experience rather than a necessity. Little has changed (as one would expect) – the perfume is utterly beguiling with an intoxicating mix of ripe, black and blue fruits juxtaposed, and perhaps now the more dominant flow of coal, graphite, steel, liquorice, camphor and the most wondrous marine lift.  Although very young, everything about this wine gets the heart racing – the perfume, the balance, the freshness, the gossamer sheen of silk which glides across the palate with amazing grace. The tannins and acidity provide the faintest touch of crispness and merely provide a gentle arm of support rather than towering structure. Utterly spellbinding and comfortably one of my favourite Aussie Cabernet Sauvignons and my favoured ‘19 Utopos wine. Masterful, in a word.  Decant for 4 hours. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Drinking window – there is no harm is awakening this beauty today however, a decade will provide a heavenly vinous experience.”

Sampled July 2021. Stuart McCloskey “Pull up a chair as this is going to be a long one! What an incredible bouquet, exquisite in fact. Occasionally, you get the opportunity to sit down with a wine which provides a story – similar to a novel that you can’t put down. You race through the chapters as you wish to reach the climax, and when you do, you are saddened by having rushed the experience. Here is no different, but I would suggest spending the entire afternoon and evening with this one. The bouquet is utterly thrilling and lucid – the fruit is deep, sweet and contrasts between mulberry and damson, leading to blueberry compote and then moving to red varietals. Sweet spices exude with cinnamon and anise. The floral lift from lavender and violets is beautiful and the white pepper seasons the bouquet perfectly. Even at this tender age, the palate is a textural dream, there’s grip from the tannin and bountiful amounts of acidity – plushness too. Very Margaret River in this aspect. It’s incredibly succulent with a fresh cool feel to the fruit, the brightness is mouth-watering from start to finish. This is ultra-pure, vibrant, perfectly poised and full of detail, almost classic-like, but the depth and intensity of the fruit removes that label. Mulberry, boysenberry and ripe raspberry flow along with a cooling mineral feel. The tussle between power and finesse is a gentle one but fascinating nonetheless – incredibly skilful winemaking and viticulture. Without being too obvious, the biodynamic influence is centre stage and shows the world how amazing natural wines can be. As I stated at the beginning, get comfortable, decant for a few hours, drink this on the ‘cooler’ side of room temperature and bask in a beautiful wine. Profoundly beautiful and a story in its own right… Drink now to 2035. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

Sampled 22 July 2021. Stuart McCloskey “To one of my favourite varietals, Marsanne which I love in most guises. The bouquet develops with some aeration with mineral accented orchard fruit, poached pear, a little zip and lift from lemon, the faintest suggestion of fennel seed / anise and a resonating finish of minerals. Suave, calming, gentile, thoughtful and reflective best describes the wine’s presence.  The mineral and floral notes repeat across the palate – wonderful definition and impressively focused. So natural and unforced – a real charmer. The textural element is incredibly soothing – back to that gossamer sheen of silk which gently drapes across the entire palate. Dreamy in an understated sense and one of those wines which deserves time to itself. The combination of depth and finesse is admirable. Drink now to? That’s a good question and one I am unsure of. This wine will age with the most graceful of arcs however, I am not sure at what point it will hit its peak. Perhaps 2025 / 2026. Let’s see… Do not overchill. Serve using Zalto universal glassware.”

Sampled 21 July 2021. Stuart McCloskey “I am not persuaded by my opening sentence, “And now to the most structured of the trio” - this is particularly evident when you dive straight in. The bouquet is intense with a Smörgåsbord of ripe, black fruits – blackberry, blueberry, violet and potpourri come rushing from the glass whilst minerals, Indian ink, liquorice and traces of brine and kelp provide unfathomable layers of complexity. I like how the wine builds in intensity – every swirl of the glass provides a new facet to consider. The fruit radiates but with a degree of restraint – the wine feels tighter and perhaps more classical compared to the single varietals. I detect more mineralité and tension – lovely freshness too. Perhaps less flamboyant than the other two. Regal and beautiful - a wine which provides precision and has no need to show off. For many, this will be irresistible in its youth, but a decade in bottle will provide exquisite drinking.  I certainly prefer this to my original sample. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Shiraz. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

Sampled 21 July 2021. Stuart McCloskey“I love the colour – midnight aubergine if I were designing a colour for Farrow & Ball. The bouquet has obvious similarities to my first note. The brooding character is unquestionably the charm. If I am being honest, it is difficult to encapsulate into words – lots of hand movements but the words have obviously left me. I find the aromatic conundrum utterly fascinating – I could spend an entire day swirling and sniffing. I am drawn to the ocean with warmed oyster shell, sea kelp, ocean spray, all working harmoniously with Indian ink and graphite. Über sophisticated and undoubtedly showing better than my February sample. The palate provides all the classic Barossa signatures – perhaps with a touch of amplification without, and I stress, any clumsiness. The palate feel is sensual, but it does take time to discover (I suggest a long decant of at least 6-8 hours). Contrary to my original note, I do not believe this is to be ‘opulently hedonistic.’ Yes, the fruit is ripe (as are the tannins) but it’s the coiled tension which provides an intellectual perspective along with lots of ‘energy’. The length is astonishing with touches of spice entering minutes later. At this price, this delivers the complete package – a real jewel…. Drinking from now to 2040+. Ideally, tuck a case away for 10-15 years. Keep the other case available and sample a bottle every 2-3 years.”

Sampled July 2021. Stuart McCloskey "This has been opened for 48 hours (although not decanted) and sampled after the Obsidian. The bouquet pulls you in as the fruit is incredibly deep and brooding – extraordinary concentration. In short, the palate is broad and loaded with ripe, black fruits – the tannins are suede like. The overall feel is impeccable and moreish and a very different animal compared to the Obsidian. In long, this straddles potency and finesse, with a masterful touch – quite a skill. There’s a date-like richness with minerality and florality, providing lift. This flows with charisma and ribbons of silk, those seeking textural paradise need to look no further.  I will add a caveat – the tannins do provide a framework which keep building, but I believe this is very much needed to balance the plushness. Yet again, this is driven by purity and nothing dominates. There’s a stony minerality which is fascinating and works a treat alongside the dark, inky fruit. A magnificent wine and one which will keep delivering for a decade or more… Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware."

Sampled 22 July 2021. Stuart McCloskey “Team Gemtree have nailed the description for the bouquet - Nashi pear, apple and fresh citrus aromas unfurl with such grace and poise. I also detect delicate floral notes that linger. Composed from Savagnin and Chardonnay and plucked at the perfect instant of ripeness (I stole this from Mike’s description!). The wine shows outstanding clarity – I enjoy the mineral-tinged character. The palate follows a similar vein with gentle citrus and orchard fruit characters (the faintest appearance of honeysuckle) unfolding at a gentle pace. The fruit is underpinned by chalky minerals, which give the wine an impression of smoothness / chalky creaminess if that makes sense. Spritz and vitality is evident, but I am left with a sense of calmness rather than verve. I especially like the way the wine evolves in the glass. Lovely clarity and balance - I can see myself enjoying the entire bottle in the garden along with a dozen Scottish langoustines. Drink now to 2023. Served using Zalto Universal glassware.”

Sampled 22 July 2021. Stuart McCloskey “I have always enjoyed wines which have been fermented and aged in concrete – there’s a cooling and calming transference of energy which changes with the external atmosphere. The purity of fruit is more expressive without the loss of texture – unadulterated and there’s nowhere to hide. We served the wine directly from the bottle which has been resting in our temperature-controlled sample room – it’s cool and around 14 degrees which brings out the purity of the fruit. I do not recommend serving this warm (sounds dreadful). The bouquet opens with a strong sense of sweet, spiced aromatics intermixed with peony, liquorice, orange peel and candied lavender / violet pastille – Burgundy meets Grenache… Wonderfully fragrant. The palate is super-clean, fresh and packed with ripe red-blue-berry fruits dusted with sweet spices. Blood orange and a ripe citrus peel is a masterful touch.. The tannins grip gently and provide, along with a judicious line of acidity, a juiciness – thirst quenching. I love the natural polish, the floral character and spicy finish. The clarity is electrifying. Shaped by nature and bottled by people who understand and live amongst the same. Terrific wine. Brilliant, in fact. Drink now but it will age for years to come – I prefer the youthful exuberance. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

Sampled 22 July 2021. Stuart McCloskey “The same tasting conditions apply (as the Gemtree Grenache ‘Egg’) which provides clear definition between the two wines (if such a thing exists?). The bouquet provides many of the same characters - Sweet, spiced aromatics intermixed with peony, liquorice, orange peel and candied lavender / violet pastille however, this one has been turned-up a notch or two. More sweetness and concentration. The palate has received the same ‘dial-up’ as the fruit is sweeter and concentrated. I do like this (very much) – this is super sexy. The blood orange sorbet-like freshness is a dream. Ripe cherry, pomegranate and flowers galore – candied rose if such a thing should exist? Try it and you will understand my reference. The tannins are equally dreamy – woven with silk. Vibrant and alive. Truly brilliant. Drink now but will age for years to come – Again, I prefer the youthful exuberance. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

99-100 Points - Stuart McCloskey “Great Shiraz weaving its magic with the aid of mother nature and buried under the vines to rest and harmonise before being unveiled to a gobsmacked audience. The bouquet is truly remarkable and as profound as any Aussie Shiraz can get. Wow - Coconut, Chambord liqueur, wild blueberry and cold steel, gallop from the glass – violets, plum and mulberry too. The palate and flavour profiles are something to behold. The fruit and tannins spread across the palate like a peacock unveiling its magnificent tail. This is a serious wine, a wine which should be respected (I confess that I originally scoffed at the notion of storing wine under the earth. How stupid I was). I am not entirely sure what the burying aspect imparts on the wine, but the calmness, composure and balance is so impressive. I love the sweetness to the fruit. I also love the high toned and slightly pithy cranberry element which provides some welcome grip. This is ticking every box on its way to perfection. Decanted for 6 hours and served using Zalto glassware. Drink now to 2050.”